


All Grown Up (hiatus)

by novixtry



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Adventure, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Friendship, Gen, Post season 2 episode 92, Rating May Change, Tags May Change, will probably add more characters if i continue this, would it be considered canon divergence or time skip?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-24
Updated: 2020-02-07
Packaged: 2021-02-27 10:54:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,280
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22385995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/novixtry/pseuds/novixtry
Summary: It’s almost been two decades since the end of the fued between the Dwendalian Empire and the Kryn Dynasty. The Mighty Nein had dispersed into all corners of Wildemount and continue on with their own lives but our story does not follow them but of another ragtag team of murder hobos.
Comments: 8
Kudos: 45





	1. One of Many

Thoreau Lionett Jr. had met his older sister a couple times. At least that’s what his mother says. He was very at the time when she used to visit, often abruptly appearing out of nowhere and leaving just as quickly, and only once did she ever speak to him. It was when he was around two years old. Beauregard gifted him a jade necklace, one that he still wears everyday and even today. The necklace was a small, plain jade stone that dangled on a thin strand of leather. It would seem insignificant amongst the various grand sculptures, trinkets, and other valuables made from jade scattered throughout the estate but, to him, it was the most important item he owned. 

Maybe it’s just his own mind creating memories of that time his mother told him about but Thoreau could faintly remember the older woman smiling at him with those piercing blue eyes that were full of emotions he could not comprehend at that age. Still, regardless of the minimal interactions between the two siblings of the Lionett family, the young man now reaching the tender age of eighteen finds himself wanting to see the elder Lionett child once more. 

The dining table was a little quiet today with his mother throwing in bits of conversation here and there and the head of the house replying with short answers. It was slightly uncomfortable to say the least. He’d occasionally stare off into the dark corners of the room, deep mahogany wood lined the walls and decorated with paintings and shelves of treasures on display. A chandelier made of silver hung atop the dining table, though not as large as the one at the entrance to the estate, and flickered with magic lights over the family. The silence along with the far off sound of running water and scuffling of the maid behind the kitchen door led to the boy taking a sip of water from the glass cup and clearing his throat.

“Mother, father,” he started and waited as they both turned their attention to him. 

“I’ve been thinking about this lately but would you mind if I oversee the transportation of our next batch to Zadash?”

Thoreau Lionett, his father, looked at him inquisitively before setting his utensils down. “What brought this up if I may ask?”

“Yes, dearie, I’m quite curious as to what this is about,” his mother added in with a light tone. 

“Well,” Thoreau Jr. paused. Truthfully, he would say in order to meet this sister of his who apparently works as an Expositor of the Cobalt Soul, as he heard a couple times in the past, but he had to make a convincing excuse. “I think it’s time that I had a chance to understand who our partners and clients are to better my experience when it is time that I take over.”

His father hummed in thought. His mother on the other hand let out a soft laughter. “I think that’s a wonderful idea! Oh, to see our son being more invested in the family business!”

“I think that may be a good experience as well,” his father nodded as he said those words. There was a brief moment of jittering excitement that came over the boy but he bit his lip in order to contain it if only slightly. This was his chance. If what he heard and read about was right, he should be able to find her at the reserve in Zadash. 

A sweet smell wafted in as the wooden door opened from the kitchen. Cluttering from behind the door was their maid as she came in with trays of bright and exotic fruits from the Menagerie Coast and fine platings of beautifully assembled desserts. She placed them at the center of the long table between the three of them and bowed her head as she made her way back to the kitchen with their finished dinner plates. 

“Hold on,” his father raised his voice enough to grab the attention of their maid but not in a menacing tone, “Junior here will be leaving within two days to oversee the transport to Zadash. If you could, please prepare meals for his travel and other necessities enough for three days to the city.” 

She nodded, “Yes, understood, Mister Lionett.” He waved her off and she hurried back to her duties after giving them all a bow. 

“There you have it. I hope it isn’t too soon,” his father said to the son. He shook his head.

“It’s enough time to pack. Thank you for the opportunity,” Thoreau Jr. said with all the politeness he could muster to hide his true eagerness. Clara looked at her son with a bemused smile.

“Now, you don’t have to be so polite. This is something you may have had to do later if you had not asked.”

“She’s right. Now, let’s finish up our meal before it goes bad,” the older man said. With that, the table grew a little less uncomfortable, and a little more lively. This was his chance, Jr. thought, to probably meet his sister, the one he has only spoken to once, and find out more about her and why their parents barely speak of her. Zadash, he thought of with a small curl to his lips, what would it be like?


	2. A Favor

Ever since the war ended and the two largest nations on the continent of Wildemount agreed to end their petty feud and rivalry, cities scattered near the border of the two boomed in population and business. This was caused by one of the orders written on the treaty that allowed free travel between the Empire and Dynasty. At first, there weren’t many from Kryn who set off to travel among King Dwendal’s domain, and fear of goblins, orcs, and other races thought to be savages still wavered among the populace. However, one surprising outlier can be found among these cities and towns.

Hupperdook, as surprisingly yet unsurprising as it was, did not care much for those who came from the Dynasty. Perhaps it was the carefree and generous hearts of the largely gnomish population, or the already boisterous and crazy life of living in this loud and busy city, but whatever it may be, most had never really minded the travelers from the Dynasty. 

The sun had only peaked, and the only sounds heard throughout the city were the magic powered machinery beginning to start up that built around most of the city. It was famous for this reason, tinkerers and artificers all over the continent and beyond to see and or set up shop here and did nothing but impress those who wander through. 

Towards the outskirts of the eastern side of the city, but close enough to the center, was a little tavern run by a gnomish couple and their children. The Peaks Tavern, as it was called, was slow that morning. A stranger or two sat at the wooden tables on the opposite side, attending to their business while waiting for their order of breakfast. Clanging dishware and metal can be heard from the kitchen where a gnomish man and woman can be seen cooking. And from the stairs came down a little kenku, with her black feathers as silky as ever and a creen cape that was never seen not draped around her shoulders. The woman looked up first with a smile plastered on her face at the sight of one of her children. “Kiri, would you be a dear and set up those plates over there for us and bring them out to customers?”

The little kenku girl chirped happily, always glad to help out the establishment. “Yes, I’m very sweet.”

“Of course you are,” Wallace said followed by laughter. Kiri peaked out the little window from the kitchen and into the hall where two customers sat. One of them, she recognized, came in very late last night and said that they’d only be staying for a night. The other at the far corner of the room seemed to be half asleep still as they stared off into the empty space.

“Kiri, you can serve them their breakfast now,” Hilda said as she handed the little girl a plate full of simmering meats and vegetables paired with a glass of water. “This one’s for the man over in the corner and,” she guestered over to the other plate of food, too little to be called breakfast in Kiri’s opinion, on the counter, “That one’s for the other guy. Got it?” Kiri nodded. Hilda grinned and fluffed the feathers on the little kenku’s head, having to stand on her toes to do so. Despite living with these people, her family, for almost ten years, she had only grown a bit since the Mighty Nein left her here, granted, she is still taller than them by only half a head. Kiri took the plate from her adoptive mother and went out to the hall.

\---

It was relatively slow for the first couple hours into the morning like usual. Few customers came, ordering a pint of trost or ale in the morning, which Wallace would give a hearty laughter to when Kiri asked why. Then came the afternoon customers,which were a little more rowdy than the previous but tamer than those who came in the evening. This was the time where the rest of Kiri’s siblings would come out and help. Gnomes, halflings, some dwarves and others scattered about the tavern would cheer and celebrate loudly. They would go through three barrels an hour with nights like these, fumbling to get everyone their drinks and set up chairs and tables for more customers. Though exhausting, Kiri found nights like these exciting, talking to travelers on her down time, saying hello to regulars, and helping out the little Inn she lived and worked in gave her about as much happiness one she’d ever felt. 

Midnight approached, and the dazzling lights of floating fire and magic orbs began to recede. The two gnomish owners began to clean up the tavern, nudging the drunk and sleeping to leave or pay for lodging. A few of the gnome children assisted in cleaning, the rest either went to sleep as well. Kiri, on the other hand, was tasked to make some late night runs for the next day. She grabbed a linen bag from the kitchen and pulled over her dark green cloak as she set out into the center of the city where a few shops should still be open or about to close.

Some people waved at the little Kenku child, recognizing her distinct features in the largely Gnomish city. She strolled to her favorite shop just a few minutes away from the tavern. The door jingled as she walked in and a familiar face sprung up from behind the counter. Long, silky locks of platinum white hair framed the tall, dark elf man with silver eyes. He was clothed in dark blue robes, lined and decorated with silver, with sleeves that drape down onto the dark wood counter. The shop was relatively new, having only been open for over a year, but Kiri knew she loved it the moment she spotted it from afar. The moment she walked in it for the first time was when she met the owner, Eurys. 

“Ah, Kiri, lovely to see you again! How may I help you today?” 

Kiri walked over to the shelves of spices and herbs contained in glass jars. It was a colorful array of powders and plants ranging from bright reds to muddy greens. She skimmed over the labels of each container until she found the ones she needed.

“This one,” she mimicked in a high pitched voice of a child. It had taken some time, but she had learned new phrases to help her get around. And even with all the new vocabulary, she still loved to use the ones she learned years ago with the Mighty Nein. The elvish man walked over to the shelf and, grabbing a silver spoon and a couple vials from the stand beside it, began to fill them with whatever the girl had needed. 

“By the way, Kiri, if you don’t mind, would you like to do me a favor?” Kiri tilted her head at the tall man in question but nodding in approval before so. The Drow’s face lit up and quickly ran behind the counter then back again with a small piece of paper and a letter. “There’s a little shop within Zadash called the Invulnerable Vagrant run by a Pumat Sol. I would like you to take this to him as safely as you can since I cannot because...” he smiled awkwardly but then the man’s expression turned serious. 

“But you cannot open it nor let anyone take this from you besides Pumat. Can you do that?” Kiri looked down at the letter and thought for a minute. “Yes, I can send a message,” she mimicked in a voice belonging to a blue haired tiefling. The Drow’s eyes flickered with recognition but then smiled to the girl before him, patting her head. 

“Excellent, but you need to tell your guardians first, okay?”

“Okay!” Again, the same voice, but the Drow ignored it, marking it off as coincidence. He went over to the counter and placed the letter back in a small compartment. He quickly wrote another letter, detailing Kiri’s trip and his contact, and handed it to her. “Give this to them and do let me know if they’ll allow it.” Kiri nodded, giving him a hug before exiting the shop and making her way back to the tavern.

**Author's Note:**

> So... um... hi? This is the first fic I’ve written in a while and honestly I don’t know if I may continue it because of school (senior year is a pain) and cause I wrote it right after the stream with no idea of what will happen next. My skills are a bit rusty and English isn’t my first language. I have a big idea for this little project of mine (if I can even call it that) but I haven’t written anything else down for this fic yet. Hope you enjoyed and all kudos and comments are appreciated! Thank you~


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